An Unexpected Delight

Dragging his exhausted body, Hyuga Iwa staggered home.

The moment he arrived, a sense of warmth welled up within him. Hyuga Iwa rubbed his throbbing head and let out a soft breath.

Hyuga Yuko had been sitting in the kitchen all along, her face full of worry and her mind in turmoil.

The moment she saw Hyuga Iwa, Hyuga Yuko could no longer hold back her tears. They streamed down like a burst dam as she hugged him tightly and sobbed softly.

Hyuga Iwa's heart twisted in pain, and a nameless fury surged within him.

That damned rumor-monger—don't let me find you!

And that damned elder too! If I got the chance someday, I'd make him taste the Caged Bird as well!

"Mom Yuko, stop crying. I'm back, aren't I? And I want to rest."

"Ah? O-okay, Iwa. Aren't you going to eat dinner?"

"No. My stomach doesn't feel well, but don't worry, Mom. A night's rest should do it."

"Mm, then I'll keep it warm for you. You can eat whenever you feel like it."

After saying that, Hyuga Yuko ignored Hyuga Iwa's protests, picked him up, carried him into the room, and placed him on the bed.

Lying in bed, Hyuga Iwa desperately wanted to sleep, but the dull ache in his head, the pressure behind his eyes, and the waves of nausea that kept rising made it impossible for him to fall asleep.

Hyuga Iwa cursed the rumor-spreader's ancestors for eighteen generations again. Feeling too miserable to remain still, he got out of bed, drank some water, and sat cross-legged on it.

His muddled head throbbed in waves. He felt groggy, yet he had no desire to sleep. The sensation was truly unbearable.

Sitting cross-legged, Hyuga Iwa gradually adjusted his breathing, hoping to find some relief. His thoughts slowly began to stir as well.

Although having the Cursed Seal cast on him had hurt so badly he wished he were dead, what happened afterward had caught him by surprise. It might even have been a pleasant surprise!

In that state of perception, it seemed to have a special soothing effect on mental pain!

But no matter what, a Cursed Seal was still a Cursed Seal. After it was placed on him, he had suffered indescribable agony. He was certain that the Cursed Seal had damaged some of his brain cells!

Combined with the mental damage, it had truly made him feel neither alive nor dead!

Still, Zen Contemplation had actually eased the pain in his brain. Could it be helping repair his brain?

If Hyuga Iwa's guess was right, that would be good news.

As Hyuga Iwa continued his Zen Contemplation, he seemed to feel a trace of coolness in his mind, though perhaps it was not there at all. He did not know whether it was merely an illusion.

Still, it was beneficial to him one way or another, so Hyuga Iwa did not stop.

As time passed, Hyuga Iwa felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. It was the kind of physical fatigue one felt after running ten thousand meters, a feeling he had only experienced after exhausting all his chakra.

Hyuga Iwa thought of something and immediately checked his chakra. Sure enough, the chakra in his body had somehow been completely drained!

Hyuga Iwa subconsciously stroked his flawless white chin, a thoughtful look appearing on his face.

It seemed he had not used any chakra just now, had he?

Then where had his chakra gone? Had it been consumed repairing his brain cells?

He had heard that chakra could heal the body, so perhaps it could heal the brain too...?

Wasn't it all just healing cells?

At that thought, Hyuga Iwa's spirits lifted, and his thoughts began to wander again.

Just then, Hyuga Iwa's stomach growled in solemn protest!

An indescribable hunger surged through him, making his already exhausted body feel even weaker.

"I'm so hungry. I feel like I could eat a whole cow!" Hyuga Iwa muttered to himself. "Sigh, I just wonder if there's any food left."

Hyuga Iwa climbed out of bed, clutched his stomach, and staggered toward the kitchen.

Before he even reached the kitchen, Hyuga Iwa smelled the aroma of food. It seemed his mother had been keeping it warm for him all this time.

Warmth flooded Hyuga Iwa's heart, and his eyes grew slightly moist.

Hearing sounds from the kitchen, Hyuga Yuko hurriedly got up to check. Sure enough, Hyuga Iwa was eating. Her eyes reddened as she rushed over to fuss over him.

Under his mother's watchful gaze, Hyuga Iwa finished every bit of the warmed dinner. He let out a satisfied burp, but when he saw the mess on the table, his face reddened.

"I was too hungry..."

Even so, Hyuga Iwa only then realized that he had eaten twice his usual amount in one meal!

Seeing the energetic Hyuga Iwa, Hyuga Yuko smiled knowingly. "Now that you've eaten, go to bed early."

When Hyuga Iwa lay down again, a wave of drowsiness overtook him, and he slowly drifted off.

But before falling asleep, Hyuga Iwa instinctively put himself into a state of Zen Contemplation.

Hyuga Iwa did not know that after he fell asleep, his body would occasionally be shrouded in a faint layer of white light...

The night deepened, and a full moon hung high in the sky, scattering strands of radiance...

The next morning, Hyuga Iwa was awakened by an alarm. He opened his eyes and squinted at the sunlight outside the window, feeling unusually alert.

Hyuga Iwa checked himself for a while and found that he was in exceptionally good condition!

"Eh, I recovered this quickly? Looks like meditation really is quite effective!"

In high spirits, Hyuga Iwa ate twice as much breakfast. Rubbing his slightly bulging belly, he grinned foolishly.

It was time for school again. Hyuga Iwa picked up the Medical Class application form and left the house.

Along the way, Hyuga Iwa ran into several children from the Hyuga Branch Family. They looked at him, pointed, and whispered among themselves.

Hyuga Iwa could roughly guess what they were saying. Their cold behavior made him feel hurt, and somewhat sorrowful.

These branch family members only knew how to seek a sense of worth from the weak. They either wallowed in self-pity or blamed others, rather than thinking about what they themselves could do or change. They were nothing but the groans of the weak, unworthy of sympathy.

After arriving at school, Hyuga Iwa immediately sought out his homeroom teacher, Yamada Kawa, and handed him the application form.

Yamada Kawa accepted the form. Looking at the smiling Hyuga Iwa before him, he quietly let out a breath. Thank goodness nothing happened!

"Teacher Yamada, do you know which class I might be transferred to?"

"That isn't clear yet. All the applications need to be submitted before the principal makes a unified arrangement."

"Mm, thank you, Teacher Yamada. Oh, and do you know who spread the news that I was going to the Medical Class?"

Hyuga Iwa narrowed his eyes, a faint smile on his face, but to Yamada Kawa, it was like a bolt from the blue that stung his eyes!

"Is... is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing particularly serious. I was just thinking that if I got the chance someday, I'd like to thank him properly!"

As Hyuga Iwa spoke, the sharp glint in his eyes grew stronger and stronger. By the end, he was forcing out each word one at a time.

"Oh, oh! I'm not very sure either, but you have to believe me, I definitely didn't tell anyone!" Yamada Kawa wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead and said weakly.

Hyuga Iwa stared into Yamada Kawa's eyes for a long while before slowly saying, "Mm, I believe you, Teacher."

Although he had not gotten any definite information from Yamada Kawa, judging by his reaction, he should have known something. But since he did not want to talk, Hyuga Iwa did not press the matter any further.

As the saying went, ignorance was bliss, but sometimes it was better for people to remain ignorant.

A few days later, Hyuga Iwa officially received notice that he would be transferred to the Medical Class and begin studying medicine.

The clan did not summon him for questioning again either, as though nothing had happened.

Yet a lingering unease had taken root in Hyuga Iwa's heart. Perhaps he should keep a lower profile?